


champagne pink

by jeien



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Asking on A Date, Based off the Trigger Vibrato Interview, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Realization, slip of the tongue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 12:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17203403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeien/pseuds/jeien
Summary: [TAMAKI]You’re under arrest for murderGaku takes the news rather calmly, considering he has no idea what could have warranted it.(Also known as: Gaku's an idiot who can only charm people on accident and then doesn't realize he's charmed them.)





	champagne pink

**Author's Note:**

> based off [the trigger vibrato interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNawsAsAB8A) where waccha basically said that sougo's beautiful and he'd want to take him to the bar, if he had to pick between the i7 members.
> 
> thanks to [haru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chosuiri/) and [yubbie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yubbie) (COOLZZO" SQUAD REPRESENT) and the rest of kinakoisms for enabling me

**[TAMAKI]** You’re under arrest for murder

Gaku takes the news rather calmly, considering he has no idea what could have warranted it. It’s the first time he’s checked his phone all afternoon ever since they had arrived at the television studio for a series of pre-recorded clips to use in some variety shows before taking part in a live interview. He’s pretty out of the loop for a lot of things that happened within the past few hours—but he’s also pretty sure that he hasn’t broken any law, much less the very obvious one about, you know, killing people.

He’s also, _also_ pretty brain dead at the moment, so one can hardly fault him for simply replying to the message with a very diplomatic _Um?_ It doesn’t take long for Tamaki to respond.

 **[TAMAKI]** We watched your interview on tv and now Sou-chan’s dead

Oh.

That.

 **[GAKU]** I mean, it’s true.

Clearly, that doesn’t do anything to alleviate the situation because Tamaki proceeds to send him a picture of Sougo lying on the dormitory floor as Yamato dramatically cradles the body in a ridiculous parody of Michelangelo’s Pietà, along with the caption: _Fix this_ _._

“Looks like that talk about Osaka Sougo’s landed you in more hot water,” Tenn comments from over his shoulder.

Gaku gently nudges him away. “Quit trying to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. And it’s not like I said anything weird.”

“Do you honestly not realize what you said?”

“What, that I want to have a drink with Osaka? What’s wrong with that?”

Tenn decides that he’s had enough and huffs out an exasperated sigh as he grabs his bag from the dressing room sofa, making way towards the door to follow Ryuu and Anesagi. “You’re hopeless. Do what Tamaki-kun says and fix this mess before you start a whole conspiracy theory on the forums.”

“Conspiracy theory over _what?!_ ”

He’s not deigned an answer and thus Gaku is left to consider his options alone. He sighs at all of this—because it really doesn’t make sense why what he said is such a big deal—but first, he needs to get out of there. They all took their own cars to the studio, since Tenn and Ryuu had other engagements later that evening; it would be easier to have Anesagi just drop one of them off than dropping off all three at different destinations. Maybe he’ll drive to the Takanashi Productions dormitory and settle it all out in person.

It’s when he's behind the wheel that he tries to replay the interview in his head. They had been promoting an upcoming charity event a little after the start of the new year and then, as per the usual, were asked some unrelated questions by the hosts. Things like favorite drinks or most played artists on their music apps.

And then, that question came up.

_“If you had to go to the bar with one of the members of Idolish7, who would you go with?”_

Tenn had answered Yamato, because he seems like a good listener. Ryuu had answered Mitsuki, because they get along well in their impromptu idol sports club with Momo-san and he’s comfortable to talk to about anything. Gaku had answered Sougo, because he’s cute.

…Cute?

Wait a second.

He nearly misses stopping at a red light from that second of confusion. That’s way different from what he remembers. Didn’t he just say he wanted to have a drink with Sougo? Where did the cute part come from?

As he watches the cars from the other lane zoom by, Gaku tries to really think back to the moment exactly. Tenn said Yamato for listening. Ryuu said Mitsuki for comfort level. Gaku said Sougo for cuteness. Everyone had given out their reactions of surprise and amusement; plenty of the audience and even the hosts themselves were laughing at the answer with a sort of unexpected fondness.

Then Tenn had jokingly asked if he had wanted to drink while looking at Sougo’s pretty face.

_“Yeah, I do. He’s beautiful, that one.”_

Alright, so there it is. What’s the big deal? Everyone knows Sougo is beautiful. But wouldn’t anyone want to have a drink with a beautiful person? Sougo’s usually so reserved and hesitant when it comes to interacting with people, especially his industry seniors. Everyone had been surprised Gaku picked Sougo because of that caution, that restrained personality. But Sougo has some great points as a person, as an idol, as a friend. And even if he gets a little wild when he’s drunk, it’s just so cute that you can’t help but want to forgive him and then give into his demands.

—Ah.

The light turns green on both accounts. It takes Gaku’s brain to process. The car behind him beeps.

“Oh shit,” he mumbles to himself, stepping on the accelerator. No wonder Tenn seemed so done with him after the interview.

Yeah, he should probably go fix this.

 

* * *

 

After that bombshell of a realization, Gaku makes a beeline straight for the dormitories. Riku is there to meet him at the door after he had messaged Tamaki that he was on his way.

“Yaotome-san!”

“Hey, Nanase,” he greets, taking his shoes off at the doorway before stepping into the building proper. “Is he still dead?”

Riku laughs a little and says, “Sougo-san’s doing okay now! Nagi dragged him off to watch Kokona to take his mind off it.”

“Was he really that shaken up?”

“Well, he’s been a fan of Trigger since you guys debuted!” Riku answers, ushering him further inside. “He always gets flustered and nervous when he’s praised—like he doesn’t deserve it. So being praised by someone he looks up to and admires must’ve overloaded him!”  

Sometimes Gaku forgets that Sougo had been a fan first and an idol second. But, hell, he’d probably be the same if one of his own industry role models had said something similar. In that respect, he can hardly blame Sougo for his reaction—even more so since he’s been raised in such strict circumstances. Poor guy had probably gotten criticized for every little detail of his life.  

The two of them take the stairs up into the dormitory proper, where an innocuous door opens up to the open common room with a branching kitchen. Gaku’s been here a few times before, but the space always seems so big to him despite housing a group of seven.

“So, you’ve come, Yaotome,” Yamato greets from a kitchen stool placed close to the entryway. Tamaki stands behind their leader with a straight back and crossed arms. It would look much more threatening if his face wasn’t halfway into a pout. “We’ve been expecting you.”

Gaku can only look on with a strange sort of incredulous wonder. “What the hell are you supposed to be, a yakuza boss?”  

“No, but as the group’s big brother type character, I’m here to ensure you take responsibility for seducing one of my cute members—Ow!”

“Alright, old man, knock it off before I pour all your beer down the drain,” Mitsuki warns, brandishing his wooden spoon. Riku takes the opportunity to bounce over to Tamaki and comment about how he looked like a movie bodyguard just now, which causes Tamaki to break character and say _Oh, really? Yama-san just told me to frown really hard_. Mitsuki looks back at Gaku and jerks a thumb down the hall. “They’re in Nagi’s room right now. If Kokona’s still on, you can’t miss it.”

At least _someone_ has some brain cells right now. “Thanks, Izumi-ani.”

He hears one last _You better not make it worse!_ from Tamaki before he’s left to his own devices. The muffled sounds of magical girls and action scenes filtering out from one of the doors makes it easy to find them—but it still leaves the question of what to do. Should Gaku pull him aside to talk to him? Should he pretend nothing happened? Should he take it all back?

Gaku knocks on the door before opening it himself. He doesn’t register Nagi’s greeting of _Oh, Yaotome-shi, have you come to watch Kokona with us?_ or even Sougo’s surprised squeak of _Y-Yaotome-san?_ He just sees Sougo—wide-eyed and doe-lashed and plush-lipped and all—before his mind, already shutting down, spits out the first stupid thing that it conjures.

“Hey, beautiful. Wanna grab a drink with me?”

 _Dammit, Yaotome_ , he mentally scolds himself, _why are you like this?_

As if the man expected this, Nagi reaches out an arm to catch Sougo as he short-circuits from the words. “Yaotome-shi, if you’re going to continue to flirt with our dear Sougo, please don’t do it on my bed.”

Nagi tells him where to go: the second room before the end of the hall on the left. Gaku hauls Sougo effortlessly in his arms and goes to Sougo’s room before Tamaki can spot them. Thankfully, Sougo is more dazed than fainted when Gaku sets him down on his bed, so it only takes a soft call of _Osaka_ for him to respond.  

“Y-Yaotome-san, I’m so—!”

“No, no, that was completely my bad,” Gaku interrupts before he’s able to start his slippery slope of self-deprecation. “I came here to talk to you and clear up some things about earlier since Yotsuba was set on avenging you or something. And I just want to say that I’m not taking any of it back.”

One. Two. Three beats before Sougo even dares to _breathe_ , let alone say, “Pardon?”  

“You’re cute. You’re beautiful. You’re drop-dead gorgeous and I’d take you to a bar any day,” Gaku says, taking a seat on the bed next to him. He can see Sougo start to tremble a little so he grabs both shoulders with as much gentle firmness as possible. If possible. “Hey, hey, stay with me here. I mean we don’t have to go to a bar or get drinks or anything. It can be lunch or dinner or coffee—hell, it could just be to hang out or doing nothing. I just want to get to know you better. Spend time with you.”

“Are… Are you asking me on a date, Yaotome-san?”

A champagne pink shade blooms across Sougo’s cheeks. It’s beautiful. Gaku’s pretty sure by now, if he hadn’t been before, that he’s in love.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

It’s with those words that Sougo Osaka dies yet again, falling forward into Gaku’s arms with his head landing straight into his chest.

“Oh shit,” Gaku swears under his breath. Tamaki’s really going to give it to him now.

**Author's Note:**

> come scream with me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/jeienb/)!


End file.
